Means for governing the flight of multimissile projectiles.



No. 777,030. PATENTED DEC. 6, 1904.

- opLA DOW.

MEANS FOR GOVERNING THE FLIGHT'OF MIEFLTIMISS ILE PROJEQTILES.

APPLIUATION 'SILED AUGJ). 1904.

. NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented December 6, 1904.

PATENT OFFIC CHARLES LA DOW, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,030, dated December6, 1904.

Original application filed January 7, 1904, Serial No. 187,998. Dividedand this application filed. August 8, 1904. Serial No.

219,971. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES LA Dow, a citizen of the United States,residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of. New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Governing theFlight of Multimissile Projectiles, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to means for controlling the flight of separatemissiles making up a projectile charge, with a view to causing the sameto spread or scatter to a predetermined extent at given range.

The mode, art, or method which the present means or structure isdesigned to carry out is made the subject-matter of a separateapplication filed in my name under date of January 7, 1904:, anddesignated by Serial No. 187,998, which art or method consequently isnot claimed herein, the present application having been divided out ofthe original in compliance with the rules and requirements of the PatentOffice.

My invention is illustrated in one of its many embodiments in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal centralsection of a cartridge loaded to produce a. spreading of the projectilecharge. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the compound wad used whenloading said shell and placed between the propelling or powder chargeand the projectile or shot charge.

In said drawings, A indicates a cartridgeshell, which may be of anycommon and wellknown form, but which is here represented as having apaper body and base or reinforcing portion with a spun metal headprovided with a circumferential flange and a central cavity or pocket toreceive a primer. This may be of any desired or usual form orconstruction, or, as above indicated, the shell may be of any well-knownor customary form and make.

B indicates the powder or propelling charge; (1, the shot or projectilecharge, and D a wad or separating-body interposed between the propellingand projectile charges B and C, and comprising in the present instancethree separate wads a Z) 0, each provided with a central perforation cl.

E indicates a retaining wad or disk placed in front of the projectilecharge C, and here represented as held in place by inturning or crimpingthe end of the shell A. This is optional, and, in fact, it is not evenessential that the charge be putup in the form of a cartridge or fixedammunition, since it is entirely practicable to load an ordinary gun orfirearm with the propelling and projectile charges separated by a wad ormedium of proper form to elfect the result stated.

Wads a .7) a may vary in thickness and in the character of the materialof which they are formedas, for instance, cardboard, felt, or othermaterial of which wads are commonly made. In practice it is foundadvisable to employ, at least for one or more of the wads, an elasticmaterial, preferably felt. The thickness of the individual wads and thenumber used, whether but one or more than one, is a matter variable atthe will of the gunner, but affecting more or less the result attained.This result remains the same in kind, but differs in degree withvariations in the axial measurement of the wad as a Whole taken in thedirection of the length of the charge or of the gun from which thecharge is fired. It is also affected in greater or less degree by thediameter of the central opening cl.

With a charge made up in the manner describedthat is to say, with aperforated wad or disk interposed between the propelling and projectilecharges the charge is found to scatter more at a given range than does acharge loaded in the ordinary way with a solid wad (one or more) betweenthe propelling and projectile charges. It is also found that the chargespreads more evenly-that is to say, the shot are distributed moreuniformly over the area of a circle of given diameter than underordinary methods of loading. In other words, as a result of the use ofthe means herein set forth for loading the charge in the mannerdescribed I am enabled to give to the missiles the desired extent ofspreading and to make the distribution of the shot uniform over thecovered area. The theory upon which I explain this action is that aportion of the gases incident to combustion or explosion of thepropelling charge passes to the center of the projectile charge, and asthe missiles escape from the muzzle of the gun said gases expand andeffect a spreading, separation, or diffusion of the missiles, thisspreading being determinable within limits by the length of the centralpassage (Z, or, in other words, the combined thickness of wads a t c (orsuch of them as may be used) and by the diameter of the opening (Z. Byvarying these the degree or extent of spreading may be altered andcontrolled. Owing to the fact that considerable pressure is applied tothe wads and to the projectile charge in forcing them to their properpositions, and since the wad or wads bear upon the powder at theircircumference and for adistance inward therefrom, but do not bear uponit at the center, the powder charge is more compressed at or near thecircumference than at the center, and as it is ignited at the centerthere is a progressive combustion of the powder, resulting in a completeutilization of the powder charge.

In the present instance and for purposes of illustration and explanationI have shown the invention as embodied in a shot-cartridge; but it is tobe understood that it may be employed with any multimissile projectilecharge, and this whether the charge have a shell or casing of its own orbe simply contained within the barrel of a gun or other arm.

It has been proposed to construct a cartridge with a shell weakened orpartially separated at about the rear end of the shot charge, so that onfiring the gun the forward section of the shell should separate from therear section and be carried forward with and serve as a jacket, binder,or casing for the projectile charge. The present invention is to bedistinguished from such prior plan in that the projectile charge emergesfrom the gun under my plan of loading entirely free from or devoid ofany wrapping, casing, jacket, or binder which might in any mannerinterfere with the prearranged and predetermined spreading of the shotor projectile charge.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A charge or loadfor guns and other weapons, comprising a propelling or powder charge, amultimissile projectile charge, and an interposed wad or separatingmedium provided with a central opening or passage, the projectile chargebeing free to leave the gun ivitlilout an incasing jacket or wrapper ofany 2. A cartridge comprising a shell, a powder charge, a multimissileprojectile charge, and a centrally-perforated wad interposed between thepowder and the projectile charges and affording a free and open passagefrom one to the other, the projectile charge being free to leave the gunwithout wrapper or binding of any kind.

3. In combination with a multimissile projectile charge and a powdercharge for propelling the same, an interposed wad of yielding orcompressible material having a central passage freely connecting thepowder and projectile chambers and permitting direct escape of gasesfrom the powder-chamber into the projectile charge, the projectilecharge being free to leave the gun without wrapper or binding of anykind.

4. A cartridge comprising a shell, a powder charge, a multimissileprojectile charge, and an intermediate wad provided with a centralperforation, said wad being firmly pressed down upon the powder charge,whereby the outer portion of the powder charge is rendered relativelycompact while the central portion is left relatively loose, theprojectile charge being free to leave the gun without wrapper or bindingof any kind.

5. A cartridge comprising a containingshell, a homogeneous powdercharge, a multimissile projectile charge, and an interposed wad, thepowder charge being more closely compacted in the circumferential thanin the axial portion, the projectile charge being free to leave the gunwithout wrapper or binding of any kind.

6. In combination with a propelling or powder charge, and a multimissileprojectile charge, an interposed wad having a central opening orchamber, the projectile charge being free to move through the barrel ofthe gun without confining jacket or wrapper.

7. In combination with a propelling or powder charge, and a multimissileprojectile charge, means for directing the gases or a portion thereofincident to combustion or explosion of the propelling charge to the rearof the projectile charge at its center or axis, while the projectilecharge is unconfined except by the barrel of the gun.

8. In combination with a cartridge shell or casing adapted to maintainits integrity when the charge is fired therefrom, a propelling or powdercharge, a multimissile projectile charge, and means interposed betweensaid propelling and projectile charges for directing a portion of thegases of combustion or explosion to the rear of the projectile charge atits center or axis, the several parts of the charge being free to moveout of the shell or casing without carrying any portion thereof with it.

9. In combination with a propelling or powder charge, and a multimissileprojectile charge, an interposed wad or separator having a centralopening or chamber and in immediate contact with the respective charges,

the projectile charge being free to leave the In testimony whereofIhavesigned iny name gun without wrapper or binding of any kind. to thisspecification in the presence of two sub- 10. In combination with ashell adapted to scribing witnesses.

maintain its integrity when a charge is fired CHARLES LA DOW therefrom,a powder or propelling charge, a Witnesses: multimissile projectilecharge, and an inter- WILLIAM W. DODGE,

posed wad having a central perforation. FANNIE WISE.

